Every racer has to get off the starting line. Check out these top tips for your first cycling race to help calm your race nerves.

Your first cycle race will be scary, but if you’ve trained, gotten used to riding in a group, and followed all your pre-race and race plans, it should be a fun experience that you’ll want to do again and again. Here are some things to keep in mind for your first bike race.

Get used to riding in a group.

Make sure to go on several group rides while you’re training so you can get used to riding with other people at high speeds and in close groups. Chaingang training with a club in your area will help you with this. Group riding with a club will have taught you the benefits of drafting and the proper way to ride a bike so you don’t make other riders mad.

Get ready for the class

Learn as much as you can about the course. Usually, the race organisers will give you a map of the course a long time before the race. This will give you a chance to check out the ride and maybe ride sections, if not the whole thing, before the race. If the course is going to be hilly, be ready to climb and have a general idea of how long the climbs will be so you don’t run out of energy halfway up one. Make a list of all the possible dangers and hazards on the course so you can be ready.

Look over your bike

Do a full check of your bike the day before the race. Don’t forget to test everything. Make sure nothing is loose, check your shifting, and make sure your brakes work. Clean and lubricate your chain and drivetrain, and check your tyres for deep cuts or anything else that might be wrong.

Pack your things

Pack everything you’ll need for your race the night before. Know what the weather is going to be like so you can pack for it. Have a list of things to bring, such as a cycling top, bibshorts, socks, shoes, a helmet, gloves, and, if the weather is likely to be bad, a jacket or cape and overshoes. Some races also require you to have a race licence, so don’t forget to bring that with you.

Food and drinks

Also, make sure that all of your water bottles are full and that your energy bars and gels are ready so that you don’t have to do this on race day. How much you need depends on how long your race is. If the race lasts no more than an hour, one bottle and a gel should be enough. After the first hour of a longer event, you should try to eat and drink about 500 calories per hour.

Eat like you would before a training ride

You shouldn’t start trying out new foods the night before a race. Just eat a carbohydrate-heavy meal like you would the night before a training ride. If you usually eat a mountain of pasta for dinner, stick with that. Don’t forget to drink water the night before your race either.

The day before, it was a slow ride

After you’ve fine-tuned your bike, it’s a good idea to take it for a slow spin the day before your race. Don’t overdo it, but take a slow spin to keep your body moving and warm up the muscles you’ll use in tomorrow’s race. Remember that you can’t win a race by training the day before it, but you could lose one.

Eat breakfast every day

On the day of your race, try to eat breakfast at least two hours before it starts. Eat something with carbs and protein that you usually eat for breakfast before a training ride. Some good choices are oatmeal and peanut butter on toast. Also, don’t forget to drink enough water.

Arrive early

This may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t know where their race starts and end up starting the race in a hurry or even late. Print out the race’s start times, directions, and maps, and get there early. Sign up as soon as you get there, get your race number pinned on, and use the bathroom one last time. You might even have time for a short warm-up, so stretch your legs and take a look at the last kilometre of the race to see if there are any possible dangers.

Look at what your rivals are wearing

If this is your first race, you might not know what to wear or how the weather will be. Look at what the other riders are wearing to get an idea of what to wear. Many of your fellow competitors will know what the weather is like in the area. Wear what most of them are wearing. For example, if most of them look ready for rain or cold weather, do the same.

Positioning is important

From your group rides, you should have some idea of where you should be. Don’t stay at the front the whole time because you’ll waste energy. Take advantage of the chance to save energy by riding behind other riders. Just try your best to stay with the pack. Make sure not to move around quickly, and check and let people know when you want to leave. If you’re not a strong climber, make sure you’re one of the first people to start so you don’t get left behind when the strong climbers start to pass you.

Your target

For your first race, you shouldn’t really try to win or even be among the front runners. Instead, just try to get to the round, learn what it’s like to be in a race, and most of all, have fun. But really, your first race should be about watching, learning, and getting experience that you can use to help you win in the future.